Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Day Four

Today was a listening day. We sat around whilst Linus checked through the previous day's drum takes, and clipped together different tracks. It was a painstaking process which took about three hours, all I wanted to do was get started on my guitar. We'd spent the bulk of the early afternoon with Nico getting a weighty guitar sound together. Its sounding great and I'm ready to go.

I didn't get much sleep last night. I left work at two in the morning and it was fucking freezing. Minus fifteen degrees! Of course, my night bus was late due to the amount of snow on the ground. It's only November and already we're talking minus fifteen degrees.

It's really cosy down in the dungeon that is Linus' studio though. I had Bonzo with me today, he was well behaved despite all the noise. The little guy did me proud. Having the dog with me provided me with a nice break now and then, I got to go out and throw the Frisbee around for him in the park behind the studio. It's great seeing him hop around in the snow, he loves it.

I had a strange experience when I went to System Bolaget to pick up some beers today. It was my turn for the beer run. The guy at the counter asked me for my ID, which I was only to glad to show him. They're pretty strict with that in Sweden. If you look under thirty they'll ask you. Once even Bloody Kev got asked here. He was forty at the time and very fucking chuffed to have to show his passport. Anyway, this kinda rough looking guy in the queue behind me gets asked to show his ID too. He's got this big beard and looks around twenty-five, but he doesn't have any ID with him so he doesn't get any booze. Although at first he seems to think it's funny, when he realises he's not going to be able to buy his two cans of beer his humour changes and he gets fucking angry. I'm standing there packing my beer away and I guess I must have some sort of smirk on my face because he stares me out as he walks past me. He then stands in the doorway waiting for me. Fuck sakes, what's this I'm wondering? I'm not much of a fighter but I realise I just have to stare back at him and walk on past. He stands right in my way and I have to brush past him as I leave. He doesn't say anything. Bonzo's waiting for me outside and as I'm untying him from the lamp-post I feel the guys eyes in my back the whole time. We stare at each other and part company in the busy street. That would have been typical. Coming back to the studio with a black eye when I was just going out with the dog...

I get back anyway and we sit back and drink some beer whilst listening to drum takes. A friend of ours, Marcus Eriksson comes by. He's got a pretty cool Kiss hat. He worked with me and Johan at Debaser before. He still does shows there now and then, but he's mostly out on tour. He's working with Christian Kjellvander right now. He also used to play in Roach Powder with Linus, so they're old friends too. It's good when other people pop by and you get a break from the the other five guys in the small room.

Jen comes by and picks up Bonzo around six pm. and a couple of hours after that we start laying down guitar. By the end of the day I've put down guitar on Lifetaker. It's sounding good. We call time on it at ten pm. and Johan and I go for a beer. We check by Nada who are having their last ever night. It would have nice to hang out there but it's fucking packed with people and we can't even get the door open. Fucking Sofo...we head to Garlic and Shots where our friend Frasse works. We have a beer with him instead. Anders from Makabert Fynd is there and we stop and chat for a while.

Around midnight I head off to catch the last train home. I can't be fucked waiting for a night bus tonight. That would be totally unnecessary in this cold.

Looking forward to a day of laying down guitar tomorrow.

Quote of the day: Nico - “Anyone who says they like Rush is a fucking liar!”

Record of the Week

Lifewreck - S/T

Podcast

Dagens Ord

Flax - A Swedish word for luck.

Hello...

This is a blog about life playing in a hardcore band...

...and some other stuff.

I started playing in bands when I was 14. I quit school when I was 18, around the same time I formed Raging Speedhorn. We played our first show in our home town, Corby, England in August 99 and our final show in Yamaguchi, Japan in November 08.

During that time I toured the world, moved to Stockholm, Sweden, got married and got a dog. And then we got a daughter.

These days I play in Victims, Diagnosis? Bastard! and Battle of Santiago. I also mess around with another couple of bands.

I managed a "hip" little bar on Södermalm for a few years but turns out that's a youth's game and I'm not that young anymore... So now I'm back in school, trying my best to make something of myself. Again.

The gaps in my schedule are filled working at a homeless shelter which is one of the best jobs I've ever had.

I spend most of my money on records and my free time going to gigs, drinking caffiene, watching football and walking my dog.